Himanta Biswa Sarma takes oath as Assam CM for second successive time

Himanta Biswa Sarma was sworn in on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) as the Chief Minister of Assam for the second successive term, a first for a non-Congress leader in the State.

Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Sarma at the College of Veterinary Science Playground on the southern edge of Guwahati.

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Four others — Rameswar Teli and Ajanta Neog of BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Atul Bora and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) leader Charan Boro — were also sworn in as Minister-designates.

The AGP and BPF are the constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and other Union Ministers, the Chief Ministers of 22 NDA-ruled States and Union Territories, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, top industrialists, and religious leaders, including the abbots of 17 Vaishnav monasteries across Assam, attended the ceremony.

Among the foreign delegates present on the occasion was Sergio Gor, the Ambassador of the United States to India.

“May the blessings of Maa Kamakhya and (15th-16th century saint-reformer) Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev illuminate the lives of everyone in Assam and open new pathways to peace, progress and prosperity. Assam will scale new heights of development in the coming days with their blessings,” Mr. Sarma posted on X ahead of the swearing-in.

“The NDA’s third term will be a golden period for Assam,” Mr Bora said, assuring the people of accelerated development.

This is the NDA’s third consecutive term in Assam. It swept the April 9 Assembly elections by bagging 102 of the State’s 126 seats. The BJP won 82 of these, and the AGP and BJP 10 each.

Sarbananda Sonowal, now a Union Minister, was the Chief Minister for the first NDA term from 2016. The BJP entrusted the reins of the State to Mr. Sarma in 2021.

The only other non-Congress Chief Minister who served two terms is Prafulla Kumar Mahanta of the AGP, but his tenures were separated by five years. Since the end of his second term in 2001, the AGP has been the minor partner of the BJP.

Three Congress stalwarts served as Chief Ministers of Assam thrice. However, both Bishnuram Medhi (August 1950 to December 1957) and Bimala Prasad Chaliha (December 1957 to November 1970) were in the post for two incomplete terms each. Tarun Gogoi was the only one to serve three complete terms, from May 2001 to May 2016.

Also read| ​Cost of success: On the BJP’s victory in Assam

Hiteswar Saikia, Mr. Sarma’s mentor, was the Chief Minister twice — first during the peak of the Assam Agitation of 1979-1986 and then from June 1991 to April 1996.

The BJP contested this year’s elections on the planks of identity and development.

In keeping with the agenda, Mr Sarma posted on X, “Assam’s land, identity and future are non-negotiable. After freeing 1.5 lakh bighas of land from encroachment, #NDA3.0 moves ahead with a firm resolve to reclaim 5 lakh more bighas for the people of Assam. Because for us, jati (community), mati (land), bheti (foundation) come first.”